What is CVE-2026-55371?

CVE-2026-55371 is OpenEXR: OpenEXRCore exr_attr_set_bytes() accepts NULL type_hint with positive hint_length. The supplied enrichment data classifies it as Memory Corruption mapped to CWE-20 Improper Input Validation; CWE-476 NULL Pointer Dereference.

Which versions are affected?

Affected product and version evidence is listed in the product table above. Current public advisories should be checked for exact version scope before patch targeting is finalized.

Is there active exploitation?

Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-55371. If exploitation is not confirmed from current sources, teams should document that status and continue monitoring KEV, vendor, and telemetry updates.

No. CVE-2026-55371 is not listed in CISA KEV in the supplied enrichment data. KEV status should be monitored because it can change after initial disclosure or after exploitation becomes publicly confirmed.

Is there a public exploit?

1 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. Public exploit or PoC availability should raise triage priority, especially for exposed or business-critical systems.

How can defenders detect it?

Start with Not reported where available. Look for vulnerability-class behavior, product errors, suspicious authentication events, exploit probes, and abnormal process activity based only on evidence that applies to the affected product.

How should teams prioritize it?

Prioritize CVE-2026-55371 using CVSS 6.9, EPSS 0%, KEV status, public PoC status, and asset exposure. Internet-facing, privileged, or business-critical deployments should be handled first.

Are workarounds available?

The supplied mitigation guidance says to apply vendor patches and restrict external exposure until fixed. Fixed-version evidence is listed in the mitigation section above.

Which threat actors are linked publicly?

No public threat actor linkage is confirmed from current sources. Do not attribute exploitation to a threat actor unless the source evidence explicitly supports that linkage.

What should be done in the next 24 hours?

Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations. Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure. Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class. Open remediation tickets with affected assets, owners, evidence status, and detection coverage so decisions are traceable.

mediumMemory Corruptionpublic exploit

CVE-2026-55371

CVE-2026-55371 — OpenEXR: OpenEXRCore exr_attr_set_bytes() accepts NULL type_hint with positive hint_length

OpenEXR is the reference implementation and specification for the EXR high-dynamic-range image file format, widely used in the motion picture industry. Versions 3.4.0 through 3.4.12 contain a NULL pointer dereference in the OpenEXRCore function exr_attr_set_bytes(). The public setter validates the top-level exr_attr_bytes_t value pointer but does not verify that the nested type_hint pointer is non-NULL when hint_length is greater than zero. When a caller supplies a positive hint_length together with a NULL type_hint, exr_attr_bytes_create() allocates a destination type-hint buffer and then copies from the NULL source pointer, causing a deterministic crash. The flaw is reachable through the public OpenEXRCore C API and results in a denial of service. The issue is fixed in version 3.4.13.

Published Aug 25, 2026Updated Aug 25, 2026Sources: NVD, AcademySoftwareFoundation (CNA), GitHub, SOCRadar CTI

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.

Exploitation

Exploit code

public exploit, none observed

EPSS

ahead of 0% of scored CVEs

Affects

AcademySoftwareFoundation

openexr

CVSS base

6.9

medium

Remediation

The vendor's own words where we have them.

Upgrade openexr to a fixed release. Apply vendor patches per advisory and restrict external exposure of the affected component until patched.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.

Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure.
Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.

Vendor	Product	Versions	Status
AcademySoftwareFoundation	openexr	>= 3.4.0, < 3.4.13	Vulnerable

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack Complexity

Low

Attack Vector

Local

Privileges Req

None

User Interaction

None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

Score	Version	Severity	Expl.	Impact	Source
6.9	CVSS 4.0	medium	—	—	AcademySoftwareFoundation (CNA)

CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

What this weakness leads to

MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.

MITRE

CWE-476 · NULL Pointer Dereference

DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
Read Memory
Modify Memory

Mitigation: If all pointers that could have been modified are sanity-checked previous to use, nearly all NULL pointer dereferences can be prevented.

CWE-20 · Improper Input Validation

DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)
DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory)
Read Memory

Mitigation: Consider using language-theoretic security (LangSec) techniques that characterize inputs using a formal language and build recognizers for that language. This effectively requires parsing to be a distinct layer that effectively enforces a boundary between raw input and internal data representations, instead of allowing parser code to be scattered throughout the program, where it could be subject to errors or inconsistencies that create weaknesses. [REF-1109] [REF-1110] [REF-1111]

Weakness & attack patterns

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

Attack patterns reported against this CVE. The ATT&CK techniques below are inferred from its weakness class.

CAPEC-67 · String Format Overflow in syslog()CAPEC-261 · Fuzzing for garnering other adjacent user/sensitive dataCAPEC-182 · Flash InjectionCAPEC-267 · Leverage Alternate EncodingCAPEC-71 · Using Unicode Encoding to Bypass Validation LogicCAPEC-46 · Overflow Variables and TagsCAPEC-83 · XPath InjectionCAPEC-22 · Exploiting Trust in ClientCAPEC-3 · Using Leading 'Ghost' Character Sequences to Bypass Input FiltersCAPEC-13 · Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-8 · Buffer Overflow in an API CallCAPEC-250 · XML Injection

T1562.003Impair Defenses: Impair Command History Logging
T1574.006Hijack Execution Flow: Dynamic Linker Hijacking
T1574.007Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable

Public exploit

Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.

Repositories

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.

Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 1 public PoC repositories were reported.

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.

2026
Added · CVSS 3.1 6.9 (AV:L)
Aug 25, 2026 · NVD
Initial · CVE published
Aug 25, 2026 · NVD

References

1 on the record

github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr/security/advisories/GHSA-xx72-f24p-cf6r
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, Mitre

Elsewhere on this site

AcademySoftwareFoundationevery CVE for this vendor
Memory Corruptionsame class
CWE-20other pages naming this weakness

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record1

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-55371 is OpenEXR: OpenEXRCore exr_attr_set_bytes() accepts NULL type_hint with positive hint_length, a medium vulnerability affecting openexr from AcademySoftwareFoundation. The current evidence does not list it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-55371. Public exploit evidence is: 1 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 6.9 describes technical severity, while EPSS 0% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.